The point is, even if Linux would be free, OEMs do not want to offer it, because they would break their exclusive agreement with MS, which would mean higher prices. It's just anticompetitive practices from MS, and its pretty obvious from the situation in e.g. ASUS EEE netbooks here in Czechia (as I already explained above).

There was no technical reason they couldn't put Linux on EEE 904 (or what they offer now with Windows), if they were able to put it on EEE 900. Nor there was lack of interest, as is apparent from any forum (if there was lack of interest, they wouldn't bother offering EEE 900). They just don't want Linux compete head to head with Windows XP, obviously, because they have agreements with MS. That's the only possible explanation from the facts.

They even exempted EEE netbooks from rules that they have for other their notebooks. For example, you can buy an ASUS notebook in other EU country, and you can get a 2-year warranty in Czechia. For Linux EEE netbooks, you can't do that (I am not sure if this particular practice is even legal, because we are EU member). Or, on other ASUS notebooks, you can get a refund for Windows XP if you don't want them. But not on netbooks.